New Zealand successfully defended the Southern Hemisphere Under-21 rugby union championship when they beat Australia 30-13 in the final.

It was the first time New Zealand had played Australia in a final at any level and they ran in four tries to one through Richard McCaw, Sam Mapusa, Jason Shoemark and Tane Tu'ipulotu.

Tui Talaia scored a try for Australia who only came into the game in the last 25 minutes.

France took third place when they romped home 36-6 against a lacklustre England with five tries from Imanol Harinordoquy, Frederic Michalak, Jean-Francois Coux, Guillaume Bousses and Geoffrey Messina.

Fly-half Jeremy Staunton kicked a penalty with just over a minute remaining to allow an enthusiastic Ireland team to sneak in for a one-point win over South Africa, who scored six tries to Irelands four in the 43-42 defeat.

Ireland's second win, their first was over Argentina, put them in fifth spot and South Africa, whose only win was against Samoa, finished in sixth position. The junior Springboks were runners-up in Auckland last year.

Samoa beat Argentina 32-24 to avoid the wooden spoon. Argentina finish the tournament winless and last while Samoa's first win put them seventh.